We are all familiar with what a “traditional” wedding photographer does for their clients but now there’s someone new in town. Wedding content creators are moving into the space, providing couples with immediate satisfaction—i.e. short-form TikTok photo and video content designed specifically for social media—that is designed to fill the gap, they say, that exists in wedding photography when couples have to wait weeks to receive their wedding images.

According to a recent article on The Insider, “Weddings are an explosively popular topic on social media, where it is common for couples to share their best pictures and videos from the day. On TikTok in particular, they often go viral in the process—the hashtag #weddingTikTok has 30 billion views on the app.”

The photos and video being produced by these TikTok content creators are being done on their smartphones so that their clients can post the images on Instagram and TikTok instantly.

[Read: Photographer’s Viral TikTok: Why She Cancelled On Bride]

One of the creators The Insider profiled in its article was Taylor Richardson, who told the online publication that she charges between $1,250 and $1,450 to take photos and videos at a wedding on her iPhone (and using one portable light), “around half the average cost of a wedding photographer in the U.S., which was $2,500 in 2021, according to a survey by wedding planning service The Knot.” Her TikTok content is typically ready for clients to look through within 24 hours of their wedding.

According to The Insider, “Richardson sees her role as different from that of a traditional photographer or videographer—instead of aiming for polished shots and editing clips together to produce a longer montage, she focuses on taking ‘raw footage’ and ‘candid’ images, which have a more ‘personal’ and ‘organic’ feel.”

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So, how do wedding photographers feel about this new trend (or is it a fad)? Is this going to eventually replace professional wedding photography coverage? Or is it another valuable service that can live in the same space without undercutting the livelihood of wedding photographers or videographers? Richardson herself told The Insider that she sees this service “exploding” in 2023 because more and more couples want the recorded memories of their special day delivered right away. More importantly, though, she also told the publication that she sees her services as a bonus for clients and it’s not her intent to replace wedding photography.

Tell us what you’re thinking, or feeling, in the comments section. Or send us your comments at rangefinderonline@emeraldx.com